Remember that scary black man intimidating voters with a club in Philly? I remember watching that for the first time a couple months ago, and thinking to myself, How would this play out in my district?

Well, for one, he would be seriously out of place. No, not because he is a black man, but instead because he is a punked out, long hair, crack head, militant victim mongering black man. 

For two, it was 30 degrees, raining, and the wind was blowing 60+ miles per hour, so, he probably woudn’t have been there anyway.  That’s kind of the way of it with chronic victims.  Lots of talk but they tend to stay inside when the going is real tough.

Now, let me explain a few little details about my district.  A few of us woke up that  morning without electricity, or running water, some by choice, others because of the windstorm. Most of us went to work anyway.  Well over half of us wore guns, not for any particular reason other than that it is our right. 

More than one of us probably had to convince some rather large critter such as a moose to let us in our truck that morning.  I said truck because even though we pay on average 40% more for gas than the rest of you, most of us still drive big trucks, not as a status symbol but because sometimes one just needs a big truck, And it is better to be prepared than dependant. Some of those trucks even have gun racks (complete with guns) in the back window. Again, it is best to be prepared.

The majority of us probably commuted the 60 miles or so through the snow and rain to our jobs. None of us would consider actually living in the city. The day was, I am sure filled with civil political discourse. The liberals among us would have kept silent during the discourse because they know they are wrong, and seriously outnumbered. And eye rolling is not considered a valid argument. “I have to go vote” would have been a legitimate excuse to go home early. 

We don’t consider bearing arms, or voting to be rights, we instead consider them to be obligations.

It had made the news that Sarah had already voted. That’s good because having to fight through the putrid cloud of national media to get to the poll would have been serious voter intimidation, and would have been about the only thing that would keep Alaskan voters home.

I personally helped two friends get to the polls that day. I knew at least one of them would not be voting the same way as I, but, both are citizens, and therefore have the right to vote. I consider myself am a child of God, and therefore know that my ultimate duty is to be of service to others.

I didn’t have to ask, if either of them were legal voting citizens. One of them is of obvious Hispanic descent, and more than a little light in his boots.   He even gave me a hard time about cancelling out my vote and I offered to translate the ballot for him if he needed help. I offered to buy his 9MM from him after the election just so he didn’t have to feel guilty about being in conflict with the will of the new regime. We BOTH laughed. No hate there.

The other lady I helped get to the polls that day is a  Russian immigrant. She is an older lady, who lived over half her life under the communist system. She worked hard to get to America legally, then learned the language, then earned citizenship, and finally a degree.

I remember her telling me that becoming a citizen was not about becoming eligible for government hand outs, Nor was it an exercise in pride. She took the classes, did the studying, and passed the test so that she could understand what it meant to live as a free person.

Back at the polling place, which just happens to be a school, their were no signs that said “No guns allowed” Their was no security officer. We all still understand that personal security is the responsibility of the individual. and that individual liberty depends on ones ability to defend their own liberty.   We also understand that each of us is capable of employing deadly force to ensure our liberty, and therefore are polite toward, and respectful of one another.

I felt comfortable and safe exercising my right and obligation as a citizen of this grand republic. I know that most of the people around me were armed. That is just the way it is in Alaska, But I never once felt intimidated. An armed citizen is not subject to intimidation, a armed citizen is instead an individual free to enthusiastically exercise his or her sacred duty, and personal pursuits.

This November it will be the same. As always, Alaska politics are exciting.  We have choices, if we didn’t, then it would not be worth our while to participate.  Lisa, and Joe are duking it out on the airwaves as I write this.  Their fight is so interesting that nobody here even knows their is a democrat in the race.

One of my customers who happens to be a personal friend of the Murkowski’s will be calling pretty soon to line me out on some work I’m doing for him, I know he is really calling just to rally my vote for Lisa

I will challenge his conscious about voting for a pro-choice post feminist RINO, and he will challenge my sanity for supporting an unknown untested, “radical” conservative. I will remind him that my candidate is a war veteran and grew up as a farmer. He will say it is unrealistic to think a simple farmer can be effective in the senate. I will ask him if that is any more unrealistic than that same simple farmer graduating from West Point.

When that conversation has run it’s course, I will share with him my recent success with a special long range hand load I developed for my AR. He will ask me why I don’t just buy an AR in .308 I will ask him if he is willing to finance that purchase.

We are brothers, in our love of freedom, I have tremendous respect for him. He graduated from Hillsdale, and always challenges me to think a little deeper. I like that about him.

Even though we do not always agree politically, we are still  comrades in our fight to maintain this great republic. We do not fear each other, or even fear each others politics. I would fight to the death anybody who tried to impede his right to vote against me. And I know he would do the same.

Between now and the election, I encourage all citizens to show due reverence to the process by being informed of both the beliefs of each candidate, the association of each candidate, and especially the consequences of their their proposed platforms. Furthermore, when you journey to the sacred alter of democracy. Take with you your sense of duty as a free people, and your sense of security as an armed citizen.

Oh, by the way, if I do encounter a black panther either on the way to, or at the polls, I will have to make space in my trophy room because black panthers are not indigenous to Alaska, and therefore their is no closed season.